Buying a Used Car

Well, I really hate buying cars. I put it right up there with root canals. It's not that the final result isn't altogether pleasant; I mean, who doesn't like driving a nice new (at least to them) shiny vehicle? For guys, it's a rite of maleness; a requirement so that we may stroll about the grassy meadow beating upon our chests and grunting at all the other males in the community saying - "...hey look - this is MY car!". For women, it's a larger purse on wheels in which to pile most everything they own and as long as a noise is heard when the key is turned and the long skinny pedal is mashed to the floorboard, life is good (maintenance - what is maintenance?) - ok, I fully expect to get some comments on that one.... ;o)

Anyway, I really hate buying cars. It's not that I think that every car salesman is a sleasy, no-good, lying, morally bankrupt, self promoting, thief who is out to work me over any way he can (is it?) but it's just the fact that you have to burn an entire day in the process of procurring your new mechanical baby. I'd really prefer to see a big gigantic car vending machine where you walk up and put in your money (or bank loan papers) and out pops a shiny new vehicle with a warranty that covers it longer than you will live. Yes, that would be great; entire time required for the process, 15 minutes; 1 minute to insert the required money/paperwork and 14 minutes to walk around the car and admire it.

Well, I'd have to say (and this doesn't come easily) that CarMax has taken this process (at least for used vehicles) as close to my desire as possible. I found the entire car buying experience to be very satisfying and I don't say that lightly. The vehicles were all very clean and neat, they had reasonably low mileage, they were backed in many cases by long warranties (up to 60,000 miles additional or 5 years) and customer satisfaction actually seemed important to them (imagine that!). There is no haggling (just like they say on the commercials) and their vehicles were priced fairly (not so cheap that it's a giveaway-a-thon or so expensively that you have to keep saying "are you kidding or what?"). Their service department thus far has been courteous and polite and they seem to really stand behind their first 30 days no fault guarantee that you are happy with your vehicle. So, I would have to give them high marks for making my usual root canal experience a pleasurable one instead. So, Sheila has a new Rendezvous and I have no bad memories of the purchase process - that's a pretty good outcome!

I hope your next vehicle purchase experience is as enjoyable. - See ya!..... Jerry